


Smile

by rebelforcauses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-10-18 23:57:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelforcauses/pseuds/rebelforcauses
Summary: In which her smile makes his head spin. [The one where Remus Lupin pines after a girl with a pretty smile.]





	1. ONE

**CHAPTER ONE**

The first thing Remus Lupin notices about Ambrosia Harkins is her name when it's called for sorting. He takes note of the name not because it sounds funny like the names Bertram or Dorcas, but because it sounds nice; her name caught her ears like a beautiful book title would catch his eyes.

He's standing towards the back of the line, away from everyone else, but he can still see the back of a dark haired girl walking up the marble steps to the three legged stool and ratty old sorting hat.

The second thing he takes notice to is how long her hair is. Her jet black hair, despite being in a tightly done braid, reaches her mid thigh. He notices from, even though he's aways away from her, that she's taller than most girls he's seen and from her swinging hands that she's a light taupe color.

The third thing he takes note of is her smile. Her smile makes Remus's lung feel empty and his head feel dizzy. Her lips are pulled back, showing off her pearly white, perfectly aligned teeth and how not even the diamonds in Hufflepuff hourglass could outshine it.

What he doesn't notice though, is that his eyes went wide when he saw her smile and that his cheeks were now a light pink color. But he does know that he wants to be in the same house as her, just to see her smile even if that house is-

" _GRYFFINDOR!_ "


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Ambrosia Harkins and Remus Lupin first speak to one another about a month after they've both been sorted into Gryffindor. The first year Gryffindors- and Slytherins -were in Herbology, something he, and everyone else in their class, has noticed that Ambrosia is a natural in.

Though they were working in pairs that day Remus and his three roommates took refuge at two dirt covered tables that were standing side by side to one another, in the back of the greenhouse.

"Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew," the middle aged Herbology professor snaps at the talking boys. The class had started fifteen minutes prior to that and none of the four boys had even started on their assignment. Each of the roommates look at the plump woman with a false sense of innocence in their eyes. While both Sirius and James has mischievous smiles playing on the ends of their lips, both Peter and Remus's cheeks heated up in a guilty manner, neither boy yet used to getting into trouble.

"Yes Professor," Sirius smiles charmingly. Remus takes note of how Sirius could probably talk his way out of murder charges.

"I'm splitting you four up," Sprout said, her greying curls falling in her line of sight, "Black switch partners with Meadowes-no whining girls," Sprout said to Dorcas Meadowes and Marlene McKinnon, the two were friends, despite Marlene being a Gryffindor and Dorcas being a Slytherin, who'd paired up together at the start of class.

"Lupin," Remus looked up at professor Sprout, "Switch with Evans." His honey colored eyes went to the front of the room and saw Lily Evans grabbing her bag, leaving her spot next to a still smiling Ambrosia Harkins.

With his legs suddenly feeling like they were made out of both jelly and concrete. To him, the walk to his new table feels like an eternity.

Remus places his bag on the ground next to what was now his stool, and Ambrosia turned to him. She wa still smiling- _she was always smiling_ , Remus thinks. Not that it's a bad thing, but how did the professor expect him to work now if this girl made his mind feel all wonky with a simple smile?

"Hi Remus," crossing out Lily's name on the worksheet they were suppose to be handing in at the end of class. He saw that it was halfway done. Remus also felt his cheeks heat up.

"Uh-Ambrosia, hi," he murmured, suddenly finding the withering wood of the table very interesting.

"How do you spell your name?" She asked, dipping her quill in her inkwell.

"R-E-M-U-S," He said, still not looking directly at her, "L-U-P-I-N." He noticed how nice her handwriting was compared to his. Though most people's hand writing was nice compared to his chicken scratch.

"So I don't suppose that you got very far on your worksheet?" She wasn't being mean, or snobby, in fact, her tone held a playful note in it, but that didn't stop Remus from looking down ashamed. He knew was lucky to be at Hogwarts, and yet, here he was repaying that debt by slacking off in class.

"Hey," she smiled, nudging his arm with her own, he looked up at her and noticed her usually bright, carefree smile had dimmed into a more reassuring one that made him feel a pleasant kind of warm from the inside out, "No need to fret, I was joking, between the two of us, we'll bang this out in one-two-three."

"Thanks."

"Honestly there's no need," she told him, turning her attention to the paper. "Herbology comes easy to me."

"Why's that?" Defense came easy to some kids, like James and Sirius, while children breezed right on by in Potions like Severus Snape and Lily, but Remus didn't think he'd every heard of someone having an affinity for Herbology.

"Well, see, my mums a Herbologist, so she's been teaching me this stuff since she rescued me," Ambrosia said flippantly. Remus's eyebrows came together and he couldn't stop himself from asked,

"Rescued you?" Ambrosia bowed her head so her face was closer to the table, this time wearing a bashful smile,

"I'm adopted." Remus nodded simply because he didn't know how to respond.

"Now," she clapped her hands together as she looked up at him, "Do you know-" she asked in a silly voice, "What three potions Wormwood is used in?" Remus laughed and nodded, knowing the answer.

Remus was happy he and Ambrosia finally spoke to one another.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

In the middle of his third year Remus Lupin finally gets lucky enough to hang out with Ambrosia Harkins. It was a chilly afternoon mid-March, and Remus had been tucked away in the back library for all of that Saturday, surrounded by a pile of large textbooks, trying to get through, what he thought was an impossible Potions essay.

"Hi Remus," a voice he easily recognizes as Ambrosia Harkins greets from behind him. He turns his head to see a smiling thirteen year old dressed in a large rainbow sweater.

"Hi Ambrosia," he smiles back, his head already spinning from her flashing her pearly whites at him. He tries to to wince at how squeaky his voice was. Remus thinks that it's due to the fact she's always smiling that he's developed a _slight_ infatuation with he, leading him to constantly make a fool of himself whenever she's in the room.

"Are you doing homework?" She asks, leaning her hip against the table, her still thigh long hair swishing back and forth. Her hair wasn't shiny like Sirius' was but you could tell it was thick and healthy. And for a moment, Remus wondered what it felt like.

"Uh-yeah," he didn't want her to see him struggling with a Potions essay, something he knew she could do in her sleep. She was so smart- and pretty and kind and overall perfect in Remus Lupin's eyes -it hurt.

"Whatcha doing?" She asks, "Maybe if we're doing the same thing we could help each other out?"

"I doubt you need help," Remus blurted out, making Ambrosia beam at him. For the few seconds she was giving him that, ' _thank you for the compliment smile_ ', the one where her lips were pulled back tightly and her top row of teeth showed and her eyes squinted a little, Remus forgot how to breath.

"Thanks Remus, but come on we both know you're the man in Charms." Remus ducked his head, trying to avoid her from seeing his pink face.

"James is better," he murmured, his face going red-the usual shade he was when she was around. Ambrosia put her hand on his shoulder, something that turned his blood to fire, and told him, with a reassuring smile- the kind she'd given him when they'd first spoke to one another all the way back when they were eleven, "Come on Remus, take the credit when it's due, we both know you're an ace at Charms."

"Which consequently is what I'm having trouble with," she quickly added on at the end, causing Remus's left brow to pop up.

"You're having trouble with Charms?" He noticed that her cheeks visibly darkened, causing pride to flood his veins.

"The color changing charm," she sighed, explaining her situation to him, "I can never get the color I want-I always get the opposite."

"By opposite, you mean-"

"If I want red I get blue, or visa versa," she told him pulling out a blue and purple scarf from her bag and plopping it on the table.

"I was suppose to turn Dorcas's scarf into a Gryffindor one, and instead got this eyesore." The once Slytherin scarf was now a deep blue and electric purple one. Remus takes one look at his Potions homework, something he knows will take him hours to complete, and then back up at Ambrosia, something that makes his heart stop- in a good way -and makes his decision.

"Pull up a seat, I'll see if I can help." And when she gives him this retina burning smile that rivals the sun Remus is sure he's made the right choice.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

When Remus Lupin finally says likes Ambrosia Harkins out loud for the first time in his life it's the summer before fourth year and he's at the Potters home. Sirius and Peter are there too. They're all under a fort Peter had expertly built hours before, out of blankets and pillows; and despite it being nearly three in the morning each of the boys were all still up, wide awake, munching on sweets, talking about whatever came to mind.

"Evans has nice eyes," James said suddenly, once the four of them has calmed down from laughing at a dirty joke Sirius had made. Though James had never come right out and said it, everyone- Sirius once joked -knew he fancied her.

"I guess," Sirius shrugged,"Her hairs nice-not as nice as mine," all the boys snorted when Sirius flipped his long curls over his shoulder, "But still, nice."

"She's tall?" Peter offered, not really sure what to say. He'd never really looked at Lily like that. Sure she was pretty but James, his friend, liked her, so why even bother?

"What about you Remus?" Sirius snorted, "Do you agree with James and think Lily has nice _eyes_?" James tossed a jelly bean at Sirius's head for the words double meaning, which he caught in his mouth. "-Yum, caramel."

Remus felt his face heat up, like Peter he never thought of Lily that way, not only because she was his friend but because he was too busy looking at Ambrosia Harkins.

"I dunno," Remus murmured, red faced as he thought of Ambrosia Harkins and her smile, "I guess, I never really looked."

"Remus," Sirius whined, flopping dramatically onto Peter's lap, "You're face is red. You can be honest, have you been eyeing Evans?" Remus didn't have to look at James to know that a small frown was starting to form on ends of his lips.

"No," Remus denied, looking at James, "I don't like Lily." James's lips tipped upwards at that

"Then who do you like?" Peter asked. The three looked to their shortest companion.

"What?" Remus asked,

"You said you don't like Lily-not that you don't like anyone," Peter said with a sly smile and mischievous glint in his apple green eyes, "So who do you like?"

The muscle in Remus's jaw tightened as he murmured something at an inaudible level.

"What was that?" James asked, craning his neck towards Remus, a hand upping his ear.

"Ambrosia," Remus said again, "I like Ambrosia."

"Harkins?" Sirius said sitting up. Remus nodded. Sirius tilted his head back, squinting his eyes, "I see it."

"See what?" Remus asked as James and Sirius shared a troublesome smirk between them,

"Nothing bad," James said, "Just you two would look cute together-"

"-Because you're both nerds." Sirius cackled, finishing James' sentence. Remus didn't stop himself from tossing both his pillows- one in eaches direction -at them while Peter snickered at his friends antics.

Friends. Remus surveyed his friends and felt his chest becoming tight, because Peter, James and Sirius were the three best friends Remus could ever ask for.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Remus Lupin remembers when he actually took notice to Ambrosia Harkins wearing shorts because it was the first time he'd seen her in shorts. She, when she wasn't wearing her school uniform or muggle trousers, wore long colorful skirts that stopped half way down her calf.

He and his friends, James, Sirius and Peter, had all just found a compartment when a knock came from the door.

Peter, being closest to the door, opened it, only to reveal Ambrosia Harkins and Marlene McKinnon. The two girls were both Gryffindors as well, and in the boys year. It had been late one night at the Potter's house over the break that Remus had finally admitted, to the boys, that he fancied Ambrosia. So seeing her standing there in high waisted shorts, showing off her never ending legs, and a large torn shirt with a deep cut collar, that read THE WHO, seemingly gave Remus a heart attack.

"Marlene," James cheered at his childhood friend, "What brings you and Harkins here?" He stole a look at a red faced Remus and smirked.

"We can't find a compartment," Marlene said, swinging a blonde pigtail behind her shoulder, "Do you mind if we sit with you four?" No one asked why they didn't go find Lily Evans or Dorcas Meadowes and sit with them, because they knew if the ginger and dark skinned girl weren't with Marlene and Ambrosia they were with their Slytherin friends.

James looked to Sirius and Peter-Remus not being able to tear his eyes away from Ambrosia's legs, not that either girl noticed -and nodded.

"Sure," he said, "The more the merrier." Both girls smiled brightly at James, Ambrosia's smile made Remus feel hot from the inside out.

Marlene took a seat in between James and Sirius and Ambrosia took one next to Peter and door, making Remus feel both relieved- that he wouldn't have to sit four hours next to the girl he fancied- and bitter that he wouldn't be able to sit next to the girl he fancied for four hours.

"So," Ambrosia wondered, "What did you all do over break?"

"I went to visit family in Goa," James said enthusiastically, "Then the guys came over."

"What side of your family comes from Goa?" Ambrosia asked, to which James told her that his mother's family did-that they had immigrated in England when she was a baby and he was the first generation born, via his mother's side.

"That's great, I myself come from Sri Lanka."

"What just you?" Sirius joked, "Not your parents?" For the first time in his life Remus Lupin saw Ambrosia Harkins smile dim. Now, she was still smiling, she was always smiling, only her happy go lucky smile had turned into a sad timid one. The kind of smile that wasn't really a smile. James, not Remus or any of the other boys, noticed Marlene stiffen and her eyes narrow.

"Ah, no," she shook her head, looking at her hands that were now clasped together, "My parents died-" when Marlene did catch Remus' attention he didn't think that he'd ever seen anyone as murderous as Marlene towards Sirius in that moment, "-When I was very young. My adopted mum was there on business when she found me…" The compartment had become quite when she said this. Sirius looked very guilty.

He went to open his mouth, to apologize, Remus suspected, when Ambrosia stood up.

"I need to use the bathroom," she told them, her smile quivering, threatening to fall as her eye welled up with tears, before rushing out the door, "Excuse me."

"Thanks a lot Black," Marlene spits at Sirius before rushing after Ambrosia. Sirius with a guilty frown on his turned to the other boys in the compartment- "How was I supposed to know her parents are dead? Did any of you know." Remus went to shake his head with James and Peter only to tightly shut his eyes.

"I did-sort of," he said as he remembered the first time they spoke to one another. About how, Ambrosia had told him that her adopted mother had 'rescued' her.

"And You didn't stop me?" Sirius asked, Remus felt his neck turning fred from either embarrassment or guilt.

"I forgot," Remus said, "It was all the way back in first year!"

He groaned, placing his hands over his eyes as he slumped back in his seat.

"She is never going to talk to us again."

"I'm sure she'll talk to you again," James told Remus, "Sirius on the other hand…"

"I didn't know!" Sirius through his hands up. The compartment was only quite for a few moments before they started talking about something else.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

Later that night Remus see's Sirius walk up to Ambrosia and her friends in the Gryffindor common room. Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon and Mary McDonald. Ambrosia has her knees underneath her, and as she leans against the arm of the couch, Remus sees' that she doesn't look mad at Sirius, nor does Mary, Lily looks a tad bit annoyed but not mad. In fact the only one who looks perturbed that Sirius had walked up to them is Marlene. She has this look on her face that makes Remus wonder, for a second, if she'll curse him for even approaching Ambrosia after making her cry.

He, James and Peter are all on the other side of the room so they can't hear Sirius saying sorry, but they can all see a guilty looking Sirius wringing his hands out in front of him and saying something, most likely something along the lines of ' _I'm sorry I made a joke about your dead parents-I didn't know they were dead. Sorry._ '

Remus see's the understanding look in Ambrosia's face as she nods along at Sirius' words, her smile reassuring, and her own hand rests on Sirius's forearm. After a few more seconds of Sirius saying something and nodding he leaves, leaving the boys to turn their attention away from a miffed looking Marlene, whose arms were crossed loosely over her chest, and an amused looking Lily, Ambrosia and Mary.

"So," James asks, already knowing the answer, "Harkins forgave you?"

"Yeah," Sirius smiled, "She said no hard feelings, that she couldn't fault me since I didn't know." He turned to his chocolate loving friend, "You know Moony she's a really nice girl." Remus looked at Ambrosia, who had her head thrown back in laughter, and then Sirius, before nodding at his friend's statement and going back to staring at Ambrosia.

"What?" Remus asked when he noticed that his friends were all giving him the same kind of look. It was a mothering, ' _I know what you're doing_ ' kind of look, and due to how each boy simultaneously had it on when he turned his attention back to them, it slightly unsettled the werewolf.

"You've got it bad," Peter smirked, he turned to Sirius and James, "He really must be over the moon for her." While Remus rested his head in his hands the other three boys started to crack up.

"Why am I friends with you three?" He wondered aloud as they howled with laughter. James fell from his seat when Sirius said that he ' _Looks at her like a lost puppy_.'

The girls, and the rest of the common room, turned to them in confusion- though Ambrosia, like always, managed to catch Remus's eye and smiled at him, giving him a warm fuzzy feeling inside of his chest that lasts through the night.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Remus Lupin couldn't remember being bitten, he was too young when it happened. But some nights his oldest scar, the crescent shaped bite mark that resided on his left thigh would ache so painfully that sleep seemed impossible.

When he was at home and the phantom pain would shoot up his leg, his mother, Hope Lupin, would make him homemade hot chocolate. But he wasn't hat home, he hadn't been at home for nearly two weeks, so with his heart hammering in his chest and left thigh throbbing he wandered down to the Gryffindor common room.

The room, which Remus was so used to seeing brightly light and filled with noise, was quiet and dimly lit. Though it wasn't the first time he'd wandered into the common room all alone at night Remus still felt off when he stepped off of the boys stairs and onto the soft rug.

The werewolf had to admit though, if there was one perk about being in the common room late at night it would be the fact he got the couch closest to the fire- though at the moment it was dying embers. Remus had just settled himself on the couch when he heard bare feet hitting the stone stairs that lead to the girls dormitories.

Remus peered over the red couchs back to see Ambrosia Harkins emerging from the dark stairway.

"Ambrosia?" Remus called. He was tired- was was nearly two in the morning according to the large grandfather clock in the back corner -but he didn't think he was tired enough to imagine the girl he liked coming into a deserted common room in nothing but her nightie.

Ambrosia, whose hair was put into two messy plaits and a thin nightgown that only reached the bottom of her calf looked startled at hearing her voice being called.

Her eyebrows came together-as did her lips. It took her a second to find the source of the voice. "Remus? Wha-what are you doing up?" The tips of her lips slipped upwards ever so slightly when she caught sight of the him, making the ghost of a smile appear on his lips aswell.

Remus adjusted himself so he was sitting up against the arm of the couch, "I could ask the same of you." Ambrosia's tongue darted out to wet her lips. Her body seemed to tense up at the question and though the small smile never left her face, for a second Remus wondered if she would lie to him and tell him it was nothing, or that she would turn back and head up to her dorm.

"Nightmare," she told him quietly, "You?" Remus felt his throat close shut momentarily because it's not like he could tell her he was a werewolf and that it was the bite that turned him that was bothering him. But it's not like he could outright avoid her question.

"My leg," he said slowly, "I got hurt when I was a small boy and sometimes it acts up." He shrugged it off like it was no big deal, and though she looked like she didn't buy it, Ambrosia nodded anyway.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" That's when Remus noticed that she was still standing behind the couch.

"Oh of-of course!" Remus when to move his body so that he wasn't stretched across the couch, but Ambrosia saw him wince so instead, with out stretched hands, a concerned smile and a worried look in her eyes she told him not to move.

"I'll just sit in a chair." Remus didn't tell her that he didn't want her to sit in a chair, that he wanted her to sit with him on the couch. Instead he stayed quiet as she sat in the cushioned seat next to him. The chairs cushions seemed to wrap around Ambrosia and swallow her whole.

"What did the baby corn ask the mother corn?" Ambrosia joked.

"What?" Remus asked.

"It's a muggle joke Mary told me," she answered. "So, what did the baby corn ask the mother corn?" Ambrosia asked with a cheesy smile.

"I dunno," Remus smiled back.

"Where's popcorn!" Ambrosia couldn't help but laugh at her own joke, while Remus, with a good natured eyeroll chuckled along with her.

"How do you make an eggroll?" Remus wondered, wearing knowing smile.

"How?" Ambrosia asked, grabbing a pillow and leaning on it.

"You push it!" Ambrosia pushed the pillow up to her face to stifle the loud laughter escaping her.

After a few more painfully corny jokes on both magical teens ends a peaceful quiet fell over the room.

"Hey Remus?" Ambrosia asked after a minute,

"Yeah Ambrosia?" Remus wondered if she would ask how he hurt his leg-which if she did would send him into a panic due to the fact he wouldn't be able to answer.

"Your mum's a muggle right?" Remus raised a honey colored eyebrow at her.

"Yeah why?"

"It's just when I stayed with her, Lily took me to a roller rink over the break and I was wondering if you've ever been to one."

"A roller rink?"

"Yeah," she smiled largely, making his heart squeeze tightly in his chest.

"I've never heard of it, sorry." And he was, Remus full heartedly wished he knew what a roller rink was so he could talk to her about it.

Ambrosia's smile never faltered, instead she shrugged and her cheeks got just a slightly bit wider, "It's this place where you pay people to-" she started to yawn, "-To give you odd shoes with wheels on them and you ride around on them and far out mus-" yawn, "And far out music plays and you can eat cool muggle foods."

"That sounds-" Remus yawned, "-Really groovy." Ambrosia yawned again, only to giggle. To Remus her giggle was so much better than any far out music he'd ever hear. She rested her head on red velvet pillow she was holding close to her.

"I think you're groovy Remus," she murmured with a sweet smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep, leaving a tired Remus on the couch, wearing a love sick grin.

"She thinks I'm groovy," he murmured as his own eyelids became heavy, allowing sleep to quickly take him.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Remus Lupins friends had crazy ideas. Some more hairbrained than others. James wanting to fight the Giant Squid was probably one of the most, if not the craziest, idea he'd ever had.

"You cannot fight the Giant Squid," Remus sighed for the hundredth time. The four boys were in the back corner of the common room, tucked away by the old grandfather clock. They had started off doing their Potions homework, only to get off track and end up on the topic of who would win in a fight, James or the Giant Squid that resided in the schools lake.

"Course he can," Sirius said with a laugh, James's chest puffed up, "Just means I get his broom when the Squid kills him." James's chest deflated and he threw Sirius a dirty look.

"Pete?" James asked dramatically, the pudgy boy looked up from his essay, "You think I'd win, right?" Peter nodded frantically. Remus tried not to roll his eyes. He loved Peter, he did, he thought of the sandy blonde as a brother, but it annoyed him that the smaller boy tended to hero worship James and Sirius.

"See," James boasted, "Peter thinks I'd win!"

"Against what?" Each of the boys jumped in fright. Peter had spilled ink on Sirius's essay and James had toppled off his seat while Remus let out an embarrassing yelp.

The boys turned and saw that the voice who'd asked the question was Ambrosia Harkins, the girl Remus had fancied since he'd started Hogwarts. Her hair was loose and free and though she wasn't wearing anything out of the ordinary,just muggle trousers that flared off that the bottom and a nice fitting sweater, she was wearing makeup. Something that momentarily stunned the Lupin boy.

"Harkins," Sirius whined "You can't sneak up on blokes like that!" Ambrosia smiled mischievously at the pureblood. Her lips were a dark red color. He wondered if he kissed her would he end up wearing some of her lipstick too. Not that he'd mind, why would he, he'd have just kissed Ambrosia Harkins.

"Sorry to say this Sirius," she placed her hands on her waist, "But I'm pretty sure I just did." Remus snorted.

"'Lo Ambrosia," the werewolf waved timdly. She smiled brightly at him

"Hi Remus." He heart felt like it was beating a million beats a minute. "I heard you were in the Hospital wing the other day, and I just wanted to say I hope everything's alright." His face started to burn hot.

"Ugh, well-yeah," he nodded. Remus saw his friends bite their lips, trying not to laugh at him and his inability to speak to her when she looked so perfect.

"Well," she smiled, "I'm glad. I'd hate if you were dying of dragon pix or something."

"Now why would that be?" James asked teasingly, leaning on his elbows.

"Why am I glad he's okay?" Ambrosia's eyebrows came together, "Because he's my friend?"

Remus felt his heart plummet into his stomach. _Friend_. He knew he shouldn't have gotten his hope up, that she's never just say ' _Well because I'm in love with him_ '. He was a werewolf after all, the scars on his torso from two nights prior was proof enough of why they should stay friends. Even if he wanted to cry every time she said it.

It was quiet for a moment. Ambrosia shifted her weight from foot to foot.

"Hey Ambrosia?" James wondered.

"Yeah?"

"Who would win in a fight, me or the Giant Squid?"

"You," she rolled her eyes.

"Really?" James smiled brightly, only for Ambrosia to shake her head.

"No," she snorted, "The Giant Squid, ever time."


	9. 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes had been found in a broom closet together on Tuesday, and by Friday that, and the Howler Dorcas's father had sent on Wednesday, disowning her for her ' _disgraceful decorum_ ' was still all anyone could talk about.

Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were walking towards the school library after dinner Friday evening when they stumbled upon Ambrosia Harkins and Thomas Nott. Despite the fact, the older Slytherin had a foot and eighty pounds on her she had her sleeves rolled up and her wand pointed at the tip of his nose.

She was also frowning, something that didn't look right. Her jaw was clenched tightly and her eyes were narrowed. Nott looked amused though; like he was silently calling a bluff, like he didn't believe she would curse him. And honestly Remus, and Peter, were with him, none of them believing that smiley Ambrosia Harkins could hurt a fly.

"Ambrosia?" Remus asked. The brown girl jumped a foot in the air. She turned to Remus with darkening cheeks and flashed him an innocent looking smile. Remus felt his brain go fuzzy as his heart thudded loudly against his ribcage. If Sirius had been there to see his eyes momentary glaze over Remus knew his friend would joke about how if it were up to him, all 'Harkins' would have to do to get away with murder is flash him a quick smile; and thought he would tell his friend to shut up Remus would know he's right.

"Remus," she greeted, slowly putting her wand back in her pocket, though she kept her hand on it; like at any moment, she'd pull it back out. "Peter. Hey."

"What're you doing?" Peter squeaked, shuffling around, using his pudgy suausge fingers to pull the sleeves of his robes over his knuckles.

"Nothing," she said with a strained smile. Remus noted that she was a terrible liar. "Nott and I were just, uh... talking." Remus raised an eyebrow. Talking? Sure.

It was silent for a moment. The quite was tense as Ambrosia's gaze, with a tight smile that still didn't look quite right, kept flittering from Nott to them.

"Do you want to come to the library with me and Remus?" Peter asked sweetly, though as Peter peered at him from the corner of his eye Remus could see a familiar, slightly smug look in the smaller boys apple green eyes. Ambrosia looked at Nott through the corner of her eyes for a long minutes before sighing, "Sure."

Though she didn't move right away, instead, she continued to look at Nott with a tense smile and slightly murderoussmile look in her eyes.

It had taken a whole two minutes before Ambrosia moved to stand next to Remus, situating the werewolf between herself and Peter. The three fourth years passed Nott, Remus caught Ambrosia still starring at the older boy as they walked by and wondered how a look that mean could come from Ambrosia Harkins, the sweetest, most kindest girl in the world.

They'd only gotten a few feet away when Nott called out loudly to Ambrosia. She turned to him, "Make sure to tell those two _Bulldykes_ I said hi."

It'd happened so fast, Peter would later tell James and Sirius, Remus and Ambrosia both simultaneously pulled out their wands and hexed Nott. Remus had fired a Jellylegs Jinx and Ambrosia a Bat-Boogey Hex, leaving the older boy to be attacked by winged balls of mucus while he laid helplessly in a heap on the floor.

Ambrosia turned to Remus, who was already looking at her shocked; she, Miss. Perfect, had perfectly hexed an older boy-almost like she'd done it a dozen times before. Peter stood to the side akwardly cheering his friend on as Ambrosia, with a wide smile, lifted her head to meet Remus's eyes.

Remus felt his blood turn to fire as Ambrosia looked at him proudly. Her eyes burning and teeth sparking. She'd never looked at him that way before, the look was somewhere between he'd just don't the most incredible thing in the world and he was the most incredible person in the world-no one had ever looked at him that way.

And as he look back at her he didn't just see the sweet herbology need he'd come to fancy, but instead a fiesta Herbology need ready to defend her friends honor, all the while looking perfect.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

Saturday morning both Remus and Ambrosia had been called into Professor McGonagall's office to receive detention for cursing Nott.

"But Professor," Ambrosia pleaded from her seat, "Remus didn't do anything. It was me, I cursed Nott." Remus looked to his left and stared at Ambrosia in shock. The graying woman turned to Remus, who was still looking at Ambrosia, and raised a brow, "Is that true Mr. Lupin?" Remus looked at his Head of House and shook his head,

"No Professor," he told her honestly, missing the exasperated look Ambrosia was wearing, "I hexed Nott as well. But Professor we only did it because of what he said about Dorcas and Marlene." McGonagall pursed her lips and tipped her chin upwards. She looked to Ambrosia who was looking in her lap.

"Miss. Harkins, what was he saying about Miss. Meadowes and Miss. McKinnon?" Remus saw her jaw clenched for a moment.

"He called them _bulldykes_ Professor, that's why Remus and I hexed him, but before that he-" she sucked a deep breath of air, "-he said that _freaks_ like _those two_ would be showed a lesson when the _Dark Lord_ won." Remus felt himself still when he heard Ambrosia speak of You-Know-Who. As did Professor McGongall, though she went white and then red and then a shade of purple Remus didn't know humans could become.

"Very well," she said tartly after a moment, "The Headmaster and I will speak to Mr. Nott about what he's said, but in the meantime, you will both report to Mr. Filch at seven to polish trophies." Neither Remus nor Ambrosia tried to argue with the stern Professor, and instead hung their heads murmuring similar sounding "Yes ma'ams."

When they exited the office Ambrosia turned to Remus and crossed her arms, "Why'd you say you cursed Nott! I gave you an out!"

Remus looked down bashfully. The tips of his ears burned hot. "Because I did. It wouldn't've have been right to let you take the detention alone." Ambrosia smiled lightly at him.

"You're a good guy Remus," Ambrosia told him softly.

"Uh," he blinked, "Thanks."

"So what're you doing now?" She asked. She ran her left hand through her hair-Remus still wondered what it felt like. It was probably soft, maybe a little knotty but her hair was long and wavy so it was to bound to have some kinks in it.

"Going to hang out with the guys," Remus told her. She nodded, smiling brightly at him, "Cool, I'm going to find Lily. Have fun! I'll see you at detention!"

And she did, though she was five minutes late. Filch was standing in the entryway of the door while Remus had taken to standing towards the middle of the room where two buckets filled soapy water were.

"You're late," Argus Filch snapped as Ambrosia stumbled past him and into the trophy room. He clothes were different from those she'd worn early, when Remus had last seen her she'd been in muggle trousers and a large sweater, now she was wearing a golden brown, tight fitting turtle neck and a different pair of muggle pants- they were a shiny metallic silver and were loose fitting around her thighs, though they got tight around her ankles.

"Sorry sir," she said. Filch rolled his eyes, not actually caring.

"Wands," he demanded, palm out. Though he complied wordlessly he rolled his eyes when he dropped his wand into the pimply man's hand. Filch sneered at a hesitant Ambrosia, her wand was out, though it was clutched tightly in her hand.

"Wand," he growled. Remus bit his tongue, he knew it wouldn't do either him nor Ambrosia any good if he snapped at Filch like a petulant child. Ambrosia handed it over with a sigh.

"Now," Filch smiled, his crooked yellow teeth made both Remus and Ambrosia reel back, "You to will be cleaning the cases and trophies until there's not a speck of dirt left. You can leave when you're done."

"You're not going to be staying?" Ambrosia asked as Filch turned to the door, the man looked over his shoulder, "I'm not a babysitter." When he left Ambrosia turned to Remus, "I can take the cases on the left and you can take the cases on the right, that way it goes faster."

"Sure," Remus picked up a bucket, only to be stopped by Ambrosia putting her hand on his, sending sparks shooting up his arm. With how loudly it was pounding away in his ears, Remus wondered if Ambrosia could hear it too.

"Hey, Remus?"

"Yeah?" He looked at her, her eyes were wide and had a mesmerizing sparkle in them, her eyelashes looked longer and thicker and her lips looked shinier and plumper than they normally did. He could hardly breath when he realized that their faces were inches apart.

"Thanks for not letting me have my first detention alone. You're a real sweetheart, you know that." He blinked once then twice then a third time before, with a pink face, dumbly nodding his head.

They'd only been at cleaning for twenty or so minutes when Ambrosia called over to Remus,

"Yeah?" He replied.

"What's your favorite color?" She asked him.

"Why?"

"Because we're friends right?" Remus nodded his head, "And yet I don't actually know you, you know?" Not really, as creepy as it sounded Remus had picked up a bunch of thing about Ambrosia, like she always bit her lips when studying or that on Wednesdays she always wore the same space themed socks, just from watching her over the years.

"Uh, yeah." He was such a fucking creep. And a werewolf. He was a creepy werewolf and she'd hate him if she ever actually got to know him.

"So," she asked again, "What's your favorite color?" He should lie and say something normal, something like red or blue or-

"Brown?" Remus answered, "Like nice browns?" He wasn't exactly sure how to put it. He liked browns, the light-toned browns that old book covers tended to be, the kind of browns golden leaves turned to once they reached the earth-browns.

"What do you define as a nice brown?" She asked him. He looked at her and then her shirt, her nice golden brown kind of shirt.

"The color of your shirt?" She laughed, it was such a pretty laugh that warmed him in a comforting embrace, "Remus there's no need to keep phrasing everything as a question, I won't hate you just because you like brown or Kneazels over Nifflers."

"Really?" She nodded, "What's yours? Favorite color I mean."

"Purple, maybe? Possible bright red." She set the trophies she was cleaning back on its proper shelf and picked up a different, slightly larger one.

"Favorite food, and it can't be chocolate," she told, her bottom lip slipping behind her two top teeth as she smiled.

"Why not?" Remus laughed,

"Because chocolate's a sweet, and everyone knows you love it so I wouldn't be learning anything about you!"

Remus was quite as he thought about his favorite foods, "Crempog," he said. Ambrosia's eyes came together.

"I've never even heard of that word," she told him giggling. He smiled, his face was starting to hurt from smiling so wide, but he didn't really care because he was actually talking to Ambrosia Harkins!

"It's Welsh," he explained- "You're Welsh?"

"Half, my mum's Welsh, anyway Crempog is kind of like a pancake, but not really? There's vinegar in them."

"Vinegar? In your pancakes?" Remus nodded, "Alright, I happen to like Spicy Fish Curry."

"Does your mum make that or-"

"I get it when we go to Sri Lanka. Mum can't cook to save our lives, her girlfriend Betty on the other hand-"

"Girlfriend?" Ambrosia nodded,

"Betty and mum have been dating since the middle of second year. So, do you like Kneazles over Nifflers or are you a dragon guy?"

"Dragon," he said sarcastically, "You?"

"Mooncalfs," she told him, "Defiantly."

"What's your favorite class?" She wondered, "You're good in a bunch of subjects, but which one really takes the gold?"

"Defense," Remus answered automatically. He loved Defense Aginst the Dark Arts, even if he wasn't the top student in that class-Sirius was, he still loved it with all his heart.

"Let me guess, you like Herbology?" He snickered.

"No," she snapped, "I'm sorry," she winced,

"It's alright," Remus told her. Ambrosia sighed.

"Everyone just thinks that because mom is this great Herbologist, and that because she taught me a bunch of things she knows that it'll be my favorite subject when it's not. I mean I don't hate it but honestly, it takes a certain kind of person to love plants." Remus looked at her throughout her explanation and nodded along.

"So what do you like?" She looked at him and smiled, "Astronomy. I love the stars and the planets. I mean, space is _fucking_ -" Remus's eyes widened, he wasn't so sure he'd ever heard Ambrosia curse in front of him before, "Wicked man. I mean the muggles, American's, put a guy on the moon, did you know that!"

"You can't put a person on the moon," Remus denied, but Ambrosia nodded enthusiastically,

"Yes, you can! And in '71 the USSR sent something to Mars, like how awesome is that?" Remus shook his head st the fact Ambrosia was shaking in her seat as she continued to list off space oriented muggle accomplishments. But as he looked at her and her wide smile and bright eyes he couldn't deny that in that moment that Ambrosia, under dimly light candles and sprouting off Astronomy facts, was more beautiful than he'd ever seen her.


	11. 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

It was Sirius and James who usually went toe to toe with other students, getting into wand fights and brawls in the middle of the corridor, but when Remus Lupin saw Bertram Aubrey offer to carry Ambrosia Harkins books he understood why his friends did what they did, because when Ambrosia smiled at the Ravenclaw boy shyly, through her eyelashes, he wanted to simultaneously hex the boy and break his nose.

He was in the great hall, waiting for his friends, and Ambrosia was with hers when the curly haired boy sauntered up to the Gryffindor table with an arrogant glint in his eyes and calico smile. He knew part of the reason he was reacting so badly was because it was the eighth and there was a full moon in two days time but another part of him didn't care, all he cared about was that some blue tied hosier was making Ambrosia blush.

It wasn't like it's been with Nott, a month ago he acted on instinct, now he was trying not to take out his wand with malicious intents. Which was growing harder and harder as Ambrosia giggled. Remus clenched his spoon tightly in one hand while the other clawed at his knee.

"Hey Remus!" Sirius shouted, clapping him on the back as he took the seat next to him. Remus grunted out a response, not taking his eyes off the pair. Remus saw Lily and Mary share a look he couldn't quite decipher- because girls -and then to Bertram Aubry and then giggle themselves.

"What's got your cauldron bubbling?" James wondered, following his line of sight. Each of his friends frowned when they saw the Ravenclaw beater playfully tug at a strand of Ambrosia's long hair. Remus felt hot rage bubble in his stomach, for years he wondered what her hair felt like, and yet Bertram Aubry knew what it felt like after four minutes of chatting her up?

"Remus-"

"What?" Remus hissed at Peter. Sirius frowned. "Hey, there's no need to snap at Peter." Remus sighed.

"Sorry," Peter nodded, "It's just-"

"Yeah," James nodded, understanding his friend. On the last Hogsmeade trip they'd caught sight of Lily on a date with some fifth year Hufflepuff.

"What do I do?" Remus whined, dropping his head onto the table.

"You could all pick up your panties and go snog the holiday stuffing out of Harkins right now," Sirius suggested. Remus gave him a dead-eyed look that told him no, snogging the holiday stuffing out of Ambrosia was not an option. Not matter how much he'd love to do it.

"Make his skin green?" Peter offered. The boys mulled it over for a minute but then shook their heads no when Lily moved over so Bertram could sit in between her and Ambrosia.

"I got it," James's eyes sparkled. He took out his wand, a smooth eleven-inch mahogany wand.

"You've got what?" Remus wondered as his eyes flickered back to Ambrosia, whose figure was blocked by Bertram Aubry's figure leaning far into the table. Remus felt the vein on the side of his forehead pulse in annoyance.

"This. Engorgio Skullus." a bright yellow spark flew from James's wand, over the heads of four students, and Lily Evans, and then hit the top of Bertram's curls.

Nothing happened for a moment, and then, as if someone was slowly blowing hot air into a balloon, his skull started to get bigger. Ambrosia noticed after a few minutes and looked past him, to Remus and his friends. When Remus caught her eye he tried to look innocent, as had James, Sirius and Peter, only she gave them a knowing look, almost in a mother sense because she raised her eyebrow at him. When he shrugged the tips of her lips started to stretch outwards.

By that time people were starting to look notice Bertrams head gradually growing in size. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick had scurried down from the teachers' table and to Bertram who'd just fallen off of the bench. Ambrosia shielded her mouth with her hand so her laugh would become muffled. Lily and Mary hid their laughs by looking down in their laps, as did a few other students, though most other children chuckled at Bertrams steadily growing head freely.

Not that Remus cared, why would he? Ambrosia was still looking at them- him, she was looking at him and not with disdain or annoyance but joy and playfulness-smiling.


End file.
